The transitional government has sought a clear roadmap for the repatriation of the Rohingya refugees to their homeland in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.
Bangladesh has been housing more than 1.3-million displaced Rohingya members who fled their homes in the face of brutal attacks by the Myanmar security forces back in 2017.
"Bangladesh has every interest to see lasting peace, stability and democracy in Myanmar, and a favourable environment in Rakhine state for the Rohingya to have confidence to go back there in safety and dignity," foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain told a six-nation consultation on Thursday.
He was addressing an informal ministerial-level consultation with Myanmar and its five neighbouring countries in Bangkok under the chairmanship of Thai foreign minister Maris Sangiampongsa.
The meeting was attended, among others, by the Myanmar deputy prime minister and foreign minister, U Than Swe.
The Bangladesh foreign adviser reiterated the call for a comprehensive roadmap for Rohingya repatriation with priority attached to ensuring stability in Rakhine.
He expressed grave concern over the protracted Rohingya humanitarian situation, aggravated by an added influx of 60,000 people from Myanmar in the last couple of months.
Mr Hossain also raised serious concern over the ongoing armed conflicts along frontier areas as well as transnational organised crimes, involving trafficking in persons, drugs and arms.
He urged ASEAN and other key regional actors to play a further pro-active role in restoring peace, security and democracy in Myanmar, offering support for rebuilding the Rakhine economy.
Adviser Hossain echoed the three-point proposal made by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at the 79th UNGA in New York this September.
He hoped that the International Conference on the Rohingya issue would be held in the first part of 2025, as decided by the UNGA Third Committee.
Mr Hossain also suggested further intelligence sharing and cooperation among the law-enforcement and border agencies concerned for combating transnational crimes, including those around online scam centres.
Meanwhile, Myanmar minister Swe briefed about efforts being taken by his government to have dialogues with different ethnic armed organisations, create an environment for holding elections in 2025, combat transnational organised crimes that reportedly fuel armed conflicts, and develop enabling support structures for the return of displaced persons.
At the talks, heads of Chinese and Indian delegations reaffirmed their support for a Myanmar-led peace process for durable regional security and development.
They flagged their respective efforts to promote dialogues among different parties in Myanmar to help them find common grounds for an inclusive and stable dispensation in the country.
Thai minister Sangiampongsa underscored the need for such informal consultations among neighbouring countries to promote law and order across borders, put a coordinated front against criminal operatives and support Myanmar in its quest for a peaceful and inclusive future.
Earlier, upon his arrival in Bangkok, the Bangladesh foreign adviser had a bilateral meeting with his Myanmar counterpart.
They agreed to pursue cooperation in areas of shared interest, and to continue working together to resolve the Rohingya crisis in light of the arrangements between the two parties earlier.
Mr Hossain also sat in separate meetings with Lao foreign minister and Chinese vice-minister for foreign affairs to exchange views on relevant bilateral and multilateral issues.
During bilateral meetings, he further emphasised the importance of a viable roadmap by Myanmar authorities concerning voluntary, safe and dignified Rohingya repatriation in a time-bound manner.
Thursday's consultation will follow today's ASEAN-level informal extended consultation to discuss progress with the regional forum's five-point consensus on Myanmar and related issues.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com